The Most Victoria Crosses in a Single Day

Posted on Tuesday 31st May 2016

The Residency at Lucknow, also called the British Residency and Residency Complex, still exists today, albeit in ruins, and is located in the heart of the city. (Courtesy of Khalid Ahmed)
The 93rd Highlanders storming the Secundra Bagh, 16 November 1857. (National Army Museum)

The Mutiny Memorial in New Delhi. Situated in front of the Old Telegraph Building near the Kashmiri Gate, the memorial was unveiled in 1863 in memory of all those who had fought in the Delhi Field Force, British and Indian, during the Indian Mutiny. In 1972, the 25th anniversary of India's Independence, the Indian Government renamed the monument Ajitgarh ('Place of the Unvanquished') and erected a plaque stating that the 'enemy' mentioned on it were 'immortal martyrs for Indian freedom'. (Courtesy of Pallav)

Further Reading

The Indian Mutiny struck at the very heart of the British Empire. If India was lost the whole edifice of British domination across its colonies was in jeopardy. Everything was at stake, Britain’s leading role in the word, its international commerce and the reputation of its armed forces.

Across the globe Britain ruled only through the compliance of the subordinate nations – but if India could throw off the imperialist yolk others might also rebel. The very fate of the Empire hung in the balance.…Read more at Pen & Sword Books...

Within its grounds is the
last resting place of Frances Ellen Hale, the beloved wife of George
Herbert Hale, Lieutenant-Adjutant, 2nd Oude Light Infantry; there is
also a stone marking the spot where Lieutenant James Fullerton and
his nine-month-old son, Elphinstone, are buried. In fact, all around
the grounds of the ruined Lucknow Residency are memorials to those
who died during the bitter struggle for what became the pivotal
battleground of the Indian Mutiny. Indeed, it was at the Residency,
on 16 November 1857, that the greatest number
of Victoria Crosses were awarded in a single day.

India had long been
considered to be Britain’s most important colonial possession. It
stood at the heart of the vast empire in the East, which embraced
most of the sub-Continent. When the rule of the East India Company
was threatened by a revolt of its sepoy soldiers, Britain had to
respond quickly before the mutiny became a widespread rebellion.

When news of the revolt
reached Lucknow, Brigadier-General Sir Henry Lawrence, the
Chief Commissioner, quickly brought together whatever men he
could find that might help defend the city, including pensioners and
native troops whose loyalty could be trusted. He also gathered
supplies in expectation of a siege, and British civilians from around
the whole area made their way to his Residency.

Eventually, the mutineers
reached Lucknow and the anticipated siege began. Lawrence had just
855 British troops, 712 Indian soldiers, and 153
civilian volunteers to defend the sixty square acres of Lucknow. Some
1,280 non-combatants, including hundreds of women and children,
depended on this small force.

The first
signs of trouble occurred on 30 May 1857, when the 71st Native
Infantry mutinied and rampaged through the cantonment three miles
from Lucknow. In time, however, the main action, from
the end of June, centered upon the Residency itself, which was
surrounded initially by some 8,000 rebels.

There were several
determined attempts to storm the Residency and the complex of
surrounding buildings, all of which were repulsed, and a number of
sorties were undertaken by the defenders to delay the preparations of
the besiegers. In these a number of Victoria Crosses were earned and
the astute Henry Lawrence was fatally wounded.

"Many of the VCs awarded for actions on 16 November 1857 were the result of the fighting at the Secundra Bagh."

A relief
force was sent to Lucknow but it proved to be too small to save the
garrison, losing 535 men out of 2,000. By this time, 25 September
1857, the defenders of the Residency had endured a siege of
eighty-seven days, and were reduced to 982 fighting personnel.

Second relief

The siege
continued and the mutiny spread more widely across India. The
situation was becoming increasingly serious, and the number of rebels
around Lucknow had grown a force more than 30,000 strong.

A second
relief attempt was made by Sir Colin Campbell at the head of 600
cavalry, 3,500 infantry and forty-two guns, along with a contingent
of Royal Marines and sailors. Campbell fought his way through to the
Residency on 16 November 1857 – one of the most memorable days in
the long history of the British Army.

The first
VC exploit of that day was undertaken by Captain George Steuart,
whose action was witnessed by Surgeon William Munro of the
93rd Highlanders. Munro recalled seeing Captain Steuart assaulting a
sepoy battery of two guns, the flanking fire from which was impeding
the efforts of the relieving force: ‘Stewart [sic],
perceiving the annoyance which these two guns were causing, called
upon his company, and at the head of it … dashed forward in a most
gallant style, captured the guns at the point of the bayonet, turned
them on the flying rebels.’

The 93rd Highlanders were
involved in the storming of the Secundra Bagh. This
was a high-walled garden approximately 120
square yards square, with parapets at each corner, which lay in the
path of Campbell's column as it moved into Lucknow. As the British
troops advanced, they came under fire from loopholes in the Secundra
Bagh. Hauled by rope and hand, artillery pieces were manoeuvred
within sixty yards of the enclosure. Although significant British
casualties were sustained in the process, the subsequent artillery
fire breached the south-eastern wall.

Men from
the 93rd and 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment then rushed forward. The
Highlanders poured through the breach shouting, ‘Remember
Cawnpore!’ Gradually the din of battle waned; the dwindling force
of defenders moved northward; the British numbered the sepoy dead at
nearly 2,000. Many of the VCs awarded for actions on 16 November 1857
were the result of the fighting at the Secundra
Bagh.

'Damn your colours!'

Another who distinguished
himself that day was a young Scottish private, George Grant.
Lieutenant Colonel Ewart, who had been prominent throughout the
attack, fought two mutineers for their regimental standard, which
they were defending. He managed to kill them despite being hacked in
his sword arm, and carried off his prize. Private Grant followed his
commander and fought off the rebels as they tried to regain their
colour. Grabbing a fallen tulwar, Grant slew five sepoys, thereby enabling Ewart to present his trophy to Sir Colin Campbell. Much to Ewart's dismay, Campbell severely rebuked him, saying: 'Damn your colours, sir! It's not your place to be taking colours! Go back to your regiment this instant, sir!'.

Private Grant was elected
by his fellow soldiers and received his Victoria Cross from Major
General Robert Garrett at Umbeyla, Peshawar, on 6 December 1859.

Eventually, the relieving
force cut its way through to the walls of the Residency. William
Mitchell of the 93rd described the final advance: ‘As soon as the
terrible fire was opened on us in an effort to bar our advance on the
Residency, Sir Colin gave the order for us to man the dragropes of
Captain Peel’s naval guns for an immediate attack on the Shah
Nujjuf [sic]; and the order was obeyed with a cheer … For more than
seven hundred yards, the two 8-inchers and six 24-pounders were
dragged along by our men and the sailors in the teeth of a hailstorm
of lead and iron from the enemy’s batteries; and it was a wonder
that any of us survived.'

During that
attack, four Victoria Crosses were awarded to members the Naval
Brigade sent ashore from HMS Shannon.
This is just one statistic of the many that marked the astonishing
story of the Indian Mutiny VCs.

Colin Campbell was able
to enter the Residency, but he lacked the numbers to hold Lucknow,
and he evacuated the garrison and all those inside the Residency.
Campbell later returned to recapture Lucknow, 148 days after the
siege had begun. The mutiny continued for another few months, finally
concluding on 8 July 1859.

In total 182 Victoria
Crosses were awarded for valour in the Indian Mutiny including, for
the first time, civilians who had helped the British armed forces
achieve the victory that saved the empire.